Title: The Bell Family in Nelson

Author: Robert Boyd

In: Nelson Historical Society Journal, Volume 06, Issue 01, 1996

Publication details: Nelson Historical Society (Inc.), 1996, Nelson

Part of: Nelson Historical Society Journal

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand

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Declining Years of William Gordon Bell:

The rest of the 1850s decade appears to have been troublesome. Money was raised by mortgage on the Bellevue property, Section 200 was sold, and strife between father and son caused the Upper Motueka property to be sold to Robert Hooker in 1860, but money was left in it on mortgage. James left to try goldmining at Waikoropupu, near Takaka, where WG Bell the Younger appears to have gone as early as 1859, if the electoral rolls are to be trusted. Old William Gordon Bell was probably becoming more difficult for his family, as he seems to have suffered a stroke about 1860, and he was but a shadow of his former self for his last four years. On his death in 1864, the Nelson Examiner remarked how "the clear ringing voice and vice-like grip of the hearty old Lowland farmer" was missed, and concluded. "His work as a man and a colonist will be conceded by all who page 42knew him: and any country which can boast a number of men of the same stamp may justly feel proud."